


The Perils of a Bored Angel

by CrowleyLovesUSUK



Series: Crowley Makes You Sin [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Angel Bonds, Angel Wings, Archangel Power, Cursed Object, Explicit Sexual Content, Gabriel Being Gabriel (Supernatural), M/M, Set after S13 ep20 "Unfinished Business", Swearing, Top Gabriel/Bottom Sam Winchester, True Mates, maracas, minor Destiel not explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-24 03:59:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16632491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrowleyLovesUSUK/pseuds/CrowleyLovesUSUK
Summary: Gabriel finds some cursed maracas in the Bunker and wakes everyone up with them, while also inadvertently cursing them all to tell the truth for a night.  When he slips up, and tells Sam how he really feels, they discover something special about the relationship brewing between them.





	The Perils of a Bored Angel

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set immediately after the events of S13, episode 20 "Unfinished Business."
> 
> I'm supposed to be working on my NaNoWriMo project and this accidentally happened because Sabriel gives me life. #SorryNotSorry
> 
> I do not own any of these characters.

Sam Winchester leaned against the cool pane of glass in the passenger seat and tried to get comfortable.  It had been a hell of a time.  He kept shifting and looking into the back of the car where Gabriel was somehow taking up the entirety of the long bench seat.  Sam was still feeling shaken at the whole experience.  He’d actually stopped breathing when he first saw Gabriel in their hotel room, bleeding profusely.  The following quest for revenge still mystified him, but Gabriel had insisted that he was a ‘whole new man,’ and Sam didn’t have the energy to call him on the bullshit.

The highway bumped along beneath the tires of the Impala as they drove home.  The mood in the car was charged, but no one was really speaking—except Gabriel.  The release of finally achieving his revenge on the Norse gods who had betrayed him seemed to liven the archangel up, causing him to talk incessantly about nothing in particular.  No one responded to anything that he said.  Their minds were all in the Apocalypse World, thinking of their lost family.  Gabriel seemed wholly untroubled by the entire situation for the moment.

They arrived back at the Bunker around midnight.  After a few drinks, Castiel had shown up, interrupting Sam and Dean having another typical argument.  He said a few awkward things to the brothers before Dean told him that ‘they got it, thanks,’ effectively shutting the angel down.

By that point, Sam and Dean could barely keep their eyes open and dragged themselves up, heading straight for their rooms to try and catch a little sleep before the next big disaster.  Castiel followed without a word, but when Dean slammed his door in the angel’s face, he wandered back toward the main area of the Bunker and sat in a tall wing-back chair to wait for his human to wake.

Cas knew that the Winchesters would require at least four hours of rest before they would emerge.  He was used to waiting.  So he settled in for the night, attempting to be as silent as possible.  His brother, Gabriel, was a different story.  He was poking around the space and exploring to his heart’s content.  Occasionally there was a crash from a dropped item as Gabriel worked his way around the Bunker, picking up random items.

“Look at all of this crap,” Gabriel said as he examined things.  He was wandering around by a bookshelf, running his fingers along different volumes and opening boxes scattered about.

“Don’t touch anything,” Cas said wearily.  “I think the Winchesters have some sort of system for cataloguing all of it.”

“Like the Dewey Decimal of Darkness?” Gabe picked up a large golden box covered with engraved sigils and opened it.  Whatever was inside glowed with an intense beam of light.  “Hey, I’ve been looking for this since the last plague in Europe.”

“Put it back,” Cas told him.  “It’s safe now, whatever it is.”

“Technically it’s mine.”

“Just…don’t.” Cas levelled his older brother with a look.  “Please.”

Gabriel looked unnerved by the polite word and set the golden box back on the shelf without complaint.

Castiel settled back into his chair, his fingers twitching, but otherwise he was stock still.  His face was set and he kept closing his eyes as though searching for something in his thoughts.  Gabe was still wandering around making a racket.  Cas watched as his brother flipped through a large book, eventually setting it down, but definitely _not_ where he’d precisely found it. 

“What’s this?” Gabe bent down next to one of the bookshelves in the corner and popped up holding a medium-sized brown woven bag.  It looked old and handcrafted with a leather thong tying it shut in a drawstring.

“I don’t know,” Castiel sighed unhappily.  He loved his brother—he did—but sometimes Gabriel could be a bit… _much_.

Gabriel fiddled with the strings for a good minute before getting impatient and snapping his fingers.  The bag opened automatically in his palm and he reached inside.  “Oh, score!” the archangel shouted.

Castiel knew that the glee in his brother’s voice didn’t bode well.  This wasn’t going to be pleasant.  He grit his teeth as he heard a loud rattle come from Gabriel’s direction.  He turned quickly, facing his brother.  The noise reminded him of the rattlesnake that had almost bit Dean a few years ago on a hunt.  Cas was not fond of that sound.

Over by the bookshelf, the woven bag had been tossed onto the floor and Gabriel was standing there holding two hollowed out gourds attached with a thin twine to intricately carved wooden handles.  They had been painted with what looked like natural supplies—berries or some other sort of stain.  Cas could tell from the sound that small stones from inside the things were what was making the incessant noise.

“Maracas!” Gabe grinned, shaking them again.  “I haven’t seen a set this well-made for almost five hundred years.  These are top quality.”  Shake, shake, shake. 

Castiel closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.  “Stop that.  You’re going to wake Dean.”

“I doubt it,” Gabe replied.  “They aren’t that loud.  And why do you care anyway?  Only worried about Dean’s beauty rest, bro?  What about poor, little, sleepy Samsquatch?  No love for Sam?”

“I don’t want you to wake him either,” Cas tried.  Gabriel kept rattling the instruments in his face and dancing around while laughing.  Shake, shake, shake.  “Those shouldn’t be touched.  I can tell they are cursed even without holding them.”

“Not a big curse.  Just a measly old truth spell,” Gabe told him, giving the maracas another rattle.  “Besides, it won’t affect either of us.  Why?  Are you worried what you might say to Dean-o under the influence?”  Gabriel rattled the maracas near Cas’ ear which made the younger angel grit his teeth.  Castiel was about to reply when he was interrupted.

A loud crash sounded from down the hall as Gabriel continued to ignore his brother and kept shaking the maracas in his hands.  He seemed to really be enjoying himself.  A disgruntled cry of “Son of a bitch” came from the direction of the Winchester’s rooms and the angels could hear two door locks click.

Sam and Dean came sliding into the room holding their guns up at the ready.  Neither of them were wearing shirts, but while Dean was still adorned in his jeans, Sam was only wearing some baggy plaid boxers.  “Cas?” Dean shouted.  “What is that?”

Both of the angels were staring at the Winchesters, _very_ aware that both humans were shirtless and incredibly well-built.  Gabe let the maracas drop down to his sides and Cas kept making small strangled sounds.

“What’s going on?” Sam asked.

Cas glared at his brother and Gabriel shifted on his feet slightly.  The archangel held up the cursed maracas.  “I found these.”

“And you _played_ them?” Sam’s eyes bugged out.  “I haven’t figured out what’s wrong with them yet!”

Gabe smiled awkwardly and gave them another shake.  The rattle echoed throughout the room and everyone just stared at him; Sam in shock, Cas showing resignation, and Dean with annoyance.

“Are you kidding me?” Dean shouted at both angels.  “It’s two in the freaking morning and we haven’t slept in almost four days!”

“I’m not doing anything,” Cas told him.

“Yeah, I know, Cas,” Dean sighed.  “I’m talking to your giant dick of a brother.”  Gabriel pointed at himself with the maracas, giving them all an innocent look.  “Yes, you,” he glared at the archangel.  “Knock it off, or I’m going to shove those up your ass.”

“Oooh, kinky,” Gabriel laughed, shaking the musical instruments once more.  “Sorry though, Dean.  You’re not really my type.”

Sam shifted uncomfortably.  He almost asked what the angel’s type was, but stopped himself in time.  There had always been _something_ just simmering below the surface between them.  Even back when they first met and Sam thought Gabriel was a monster to hunt, he could remember the pang in his gut when the guy had casually talked about sleeping with someone else.  It had hurt then, and it still hurt, but Sam wasn’t in the mood to examine it too deeply.

He’d spent years pushing things down and trying to forget the look in Gabriel’s eyes when he’d helped them escape Lucifer.  And he didn’t want to admit how many nights he’d locked himself in the bathroom of a motel and cried, thinking that the angel was dead.  For _years_.  Yeah, Sam wasn’t about to delve into that any time soon.  Best to just push the feelings down and hope that they went away.  Instead, he cleared his throat and blinked stupidly when everyone turned to look at him.  “I’m tired,” he said awkwardly.

“Yeah, I know.  Me too.  But no one is going to get any sleep unless the One Man Band over here shuts up for a few hours,” Dean snapped.

“You’re such a downer,” Gabriel said.

“I’m exhausted!” Dean roared.  “And we just risked our asses helping you gank a few monsters for your own sick form of revenge.  I think you’d at least have the decency to let us sleep it off!”  He turned to Sam.  “I don’t want to hear those damn things shake anymore!  Sam—get him to knock it off.  He’ll listen to you.”

Sam looked over at Gabriel who was softly waving the maracas at him, not allowing them to rattle just yet.  The angel had a look in his eyes that was both taunting and amused.  “Yeah, Dean, I really don’t think he’s going to—“

“I’m going back to bed.” Dean cut him off.  “Just fix it, Sam.  Cas?” Dean looked at his angel.  “I need to talk to you about…something.”  He turned and stalked back down the hall toward his room.  Cas got up slowly from his chair and followed without a word.  Seconds later, a door slammed and the lock clicked shut.

Sam knew that his brother was in no mood for the antics of a bored archangel, who would probably get a kick out of annoying them all to death.  He was going to have to do his best to convince Gabriel to give them a few hours to just regulate their sleep cycles before Dean lost his temper and came back out here.  Gabe looked at him playfully and rattled the maracas again in a staccato beat.

“Stop,” Sam said firmly.

Gabriel hummed and then shook his head.  “Nope.”  He shook the maracas once more in Sam’s face which made the hunter take a few steps backward.

“Put those down!  They’re probably cursed,” Sam informed the archangel.

“Only a little.  And it doesn’t affect me.  You’ll be fine.  Maybe.” Gabriel laughed and shook the maracas again.

“Put.  Them.  Down.” Sam pointed at him.  “Now.”

Gabriel sighed, tossing the cursed instruments over his shoulder, and Sam winced in anticipation of the sound.  They vanished before they hit the floor.  “You’re really not much fun when you’re tired, kiddo,” Gabe commented, standing up and wandering over toward him.  “Come on,” he chided.  “I’m just burning off a little steam.  You should try it.”

“Yeah, well I’m going to go burn off some steam in bed,” Sam said without thinking.

Gabe wiggled his eyebrows at him.  “Care for some company, Handsome?”  Damn.  Sam walked right into that.

“Um…no,” he said after a beat.

Gabriel was following him down the hall anyway.  “You don’t sound too sure about that, Sammy.”  Sam shot him a look over his shoulder.  The archangel was watching him, his bright amber eyes raking over Sam suggestively.  “You’re thinking about it aren’t you?”

Sam refused to answer that.  He reached his room, closing and _locking_ the door behind him.  He placed his palm on the cool wood of the door for a moment and shut his eyes.  Gabriel was right—he’d been tempted.  If just to get this _feeling_ of such intense desire out of his system for good.  He had been _really_ tempted.  But Gabe was always like that.  He flirted with everyone.  How was Sam supposed to know if the angel was serious or just toying with him like usual?

“Jeez, kiddo.  I can smell burning from all the thinking you’re doing.”

Sam’s head snapped around.  Gabriel was lounging on his bed, piled comfortably in Sam’s pillows, his dusty boots lying on the blankets.  Sam sighed resignedly.  Of course a lock wouldn’t keep an archangel out.  “What are you doing in here?”

Gabe shrugged and patted the bed next to him.  “I’m bored, and angels don’t sleep.  Plus, you’re awake now—you could talk to me.”

“I won’t be awake for long, which means you have to go,” he pointed toward the door.

“No way,” Gabriel wrinkled his nose.  “I’m not interested in standing around by myself all night listening to _whatever it is_ that my baby bro is doing with Dean.”

Well, when he put it that way, Sam thought that sounded pretty unpleasant as well.  “Fine.  Just, don’t talk to me—and don’t _watch_ me!”  He knew that Cas would stand guard over Dean while his brother slept sometimes in some weird form of relaxation for both of them.  Dean pretended that it creeped him out, but he was always happier when Cas spent the night in his room.  Sam knew that he wouldn’t be able to catch a wink with Gabriel staring at him.

“So I can stay, I just have to look at the wall?” Gabe asked him.

“Anywhere but at my face,” Sam clarified.

“I hope you sleep on your stomach then, because I wouldn’t mind concentrating on your ass all night.”

Sam slumped and dragged his feet, walking over to the bed.  He set his gun down on the small table next to the bed.  “Just stop,” he said unhappily as he sat down and swung his legs up onto the mattress.  “I don’t appreciate the insincere remarks.”  Sam realized what he had said, but he really hoped that Gabriel didn’t pick up on the hidden meaning.

Something shifted in the room.  Maybe it was the air pressure, Sam didn’t know.  He felt smothered and couldn’t quite catch his breath.  It just felt so _wrong_ and he rubbed his sternum, biting his lip.  It was as if there were pulses of energy coming from the archangel and they weren’t good.  “What?” Sam glowered at him.

Gabriel’s face was uncharacteristically serious and he narrowed his eyes.  “What?  What do you mean, what?”

“You’re giving off these, I don’t know, _waves—_ like of power or something.  But they’re angry.”  Sam slid down into his bed, his shoulder accidentally rubbing against Gabe’s thigh.  He looked up at the angel’s face.  “Are you okay?” He was suddenly feeling like something was seriously not right.

“You shouldn’t be able to feel that,” Gabe said, gritting his teeth.

“Your power?  Why not?”

“Because,” Gabe actually snapped at him.  “It’s a manifestation of my feelings and _no one_ should be able to pick up on that.  Not even other angels.  At least not until I skewer them.”

“Wait,” Sam rolled over and propped himself on his elbow.  “So when you get pissed off, the other angels can’t tell right away?”

The intense feeling in the room was ebbing slightly, but Sam could still feel a press of frustration.  “The other archangels can tell.  But regular old Wings like Cas wouldn’t have a clue.  And you’re a human.  Humans _definitely_ shouldn’t be able to know what an archangel’s emotions are.  Ever.”

“Well apparently your wires are crossed or something, because I can,” Sam hesitated.  “You were upset.”

“So what if I was?”

“I didn’t like it,” Sam admitted.  “Why?”

“Why what, Samuel?” Gabe was inching away from him and Sam wasn’t a fan of that either.

“Why were you angry?” Sam searched the angel’s clear eyes.  For once, Gabriel’s entire face was a mask, similar to the way that Castiel had looked when they’d first met him.  Closed off.

He watched as the angel shifted uncomfortably, looking down at his hands.  “You implied that I was lying when I complimented you.”  Gabe huffed.  “I didn’t like it.”

“Gabe, look,” Sam began.  “I know you say these things to literally everyone.  I don’t take it as a compliment.  It’s just… _you._   Teasing me.”

The emotional waves were back and Sam felt as though something was actually punching him in the chest.  This time, it wasn’t anger—it was almost melancholy.  He wasn’t a fan of that feeling at all.  It made him feel sick to his stomach.  “So I’m a flirt,” Gabe said, his voice a little hard.  “And you’re right, it usually _doesn’t_ mean anything.  But not with you.”  The angel’s voice trailed off.  “Shit.”

Sam was so in shock at the admission that he didn’t notice how stiff Gabriel’s body had gone.  His eyes were wide and full of apprehension.  “What?  What’s wrong?”

“Those damn maracas,” was all Gabriel said.

“Huh?” Sam couldn’t figure out how the ancient musical instruments had anything to do with what was happening between them.

Gabriel waved his hand in aggravation.  “Those fucking things were cursed!”

Sam squinted in confusion.  “Yeah…okay?”

Fixing him with a look, the angel snorted.  “They were cursed to make someone tell the truth.”

Sam’s eyes went a little wide.  “But I thought—“

“Yeah,” Gabe said.  “I figured it wouldn’t work on me.  Guess who’s the idiot now?  Just sitting here, blathering away about how much you mean to me—shit!” He shouted again.

“Can objects like that really curse someone to tell the truth?” Sam was desperately trying to push away the fact that Gabe was basically admitting that he liked him.  His heart was beating so loudly in his chest at the thought that he was slightly concerned the angel would pick up on it.  He didn’t want to make this anymore awkward for either of them.

“Yeah,” Gabriel said, leaning back into the pillows once more and crossing his arms over his chest.  “I did the same thing with My Horn of Truth.”  He scowled.  “Never thought I’d be the one affected by a spell like that though.”  He smiled down at Sam for a second.  “Sorry about this, kiddo.  Never meant to say…anything.  Ever.”

“Why not?” Sam asked softly.  The bone-deep exhaustion was ebbing and he felt more relaxed and energized than he had in weeks.

“You’ve got enough on your plate right now,” Gabe’s voice was softer.  “I didn’t want to get in the way.  Plus, I’m about ninety-nine percent sure that you hate me.”

That made sense.  After hundreds of Tuesdays spent cursing his name, Sam did hold a bit of a grudge.  But it was always in the _back_ of his mind.  The majority of his thoughts about the angel were a much different emotion.  But he definitely wasn’t going to say that out loud.  No matter the kinds of things that Gabriel was saying now.  He should just laugh and agree.  “I don’t hate you,” is what came out of Sam’s mouth instead.

Sam wanted to clap his hand over his own mouth.  He hadn’t meant to say that.  But now Gabriel was watching him curiously and Sam was praying that those stupid maracas hadn’t cursed him as well.  As though he could read his mind, which, let’s face it—he probably could—Gabriel smirked.  “Guess those things were more powerful than I thought.”

“You think they affected all of us?”

“If they got to me, then yeah,” Gabe’s muscles relaxed.  Apparently knowing that they were all on the same footing was comforting.  “I wonder what Cas and Dean are being honest about?”

“I don’t want to know,” Sam told him firmly.  “That can stay a secret for however long they want.”

They lay next to one another on the bed in silence for a while.  Sam was rubbing his hands together and looked up to notice Gabriel staring at his mouth.  “Come on, kiddo,” the angel said playfully.  “Take advantage of the situation.  Not many people get to quiz an archangel on a daily basis.”

“I’d feel guilty,” Sam admitted.  “You don’t really mean any of this.  It’s like…a trick.”

“And I’ve never played a trick before?” Gabriel arched an eyebrow.  “Come on, it’ll be a good thing.  Besides—I’ve been dancing around—this—“ he pointed in between them, “ever since I first saw you.”

“Seriously?” Sam held back a snort.  “Okay, so when you flirt with me…you’re actually coming on to me…for real?”

“Yup,” Gabe scooted down in the bed.  Their sides were flush together and Sam was surprised at the amount of heat radiating off of the angel.  It was said so casually, that Sam was too surprised to do anything but blink.

“That’s…wow.  Okay,” Sam said.  He unconsciously reached his hand over and grabbed Gabriel’s fingers.  Neither man even seemed to notice that they were moving closer with each passing second.  “How come I can feel your emotions right now?”

Gabriel looked down at their hands.  “I’m—I’m not entirely sure,” he said slowly.  “There’s a theory, of course.  But it would probably send you screaming into the night.”  Apparently the truth spell still allowed him to dodge just a little.  Sam frowned.  “Hey, kiddo…” Gabe trailed off.

“Just tell me,” Sam looked into those bright eyes.  “I can handle it.”  He actually wasn’t sure if he could, but since he was saying it—it must be true, right?

“Has Cas ever mentioned anything about angel mating?” Gabriel’s voice was hesitant, as though he really didn’t want to know the answer.

“No.”  Sam said.  “I mean, kind of.  He did once.  But it was just in passing, and he got all twitchy and then flew off.  He was gone for almost a month.”

“Figures,” Gabriel rolled his eyes.  “My brother runs from everything that has the potential to be uncomfortable for him.”  He grinned at Sam.  “Probably why he settles for following Dean around like a watchdog and making those ridiculous faces at him.”

“Wait, so you’re saying that Cas and Dean…”

“Are True Mates?  Yeah.  Probably.”  Gabriel tried to keep his voice light.

“And…you’re also implying that you think that is what’s going on with us right now?  That we’re True Mates?” Sam watched the angel intently.  If Gabriel said yes, then Sam might actually pass out.  He _wanted_ him to say yes.  Just the thought that it could be within the realm of possibility was pushing Sam’s self-control.  Was this what he’d been feeling for all of these years?  The fact that he’d met an angel that he was destined to be with?

Gabriel tugged on his hand, trying to extricate himself from Sam’s grasp, but the hunter wouldn’t let him go.  He knew Gabe was much stronger than him and could easily pull away if he really wanted to, which meant the archangel was just putting up walls.  Gabe was fidgeting, his heels slightly kicking at the bed.  “Probably,” he said finally.  Sam glared at him.  “Okay, yeah, fine.  That’s what it means, okay?  Happy?” Gabe narrowed his eyes and got an adorable pout going on his lips.  He looked wary, but there was a spark of hope in his features.

“Yeah, that makes me happy,” Sam said simply.  He felt a rush of power engulf him like a cocoon at the admission.  It was comforting and safe and made him feel whole again—as if all those horrible things in his past had never happened.  “What does that mean?  The whole True Mates thing?”  Sam couldn’t help himself, he liked to learn.

Gabe gave him a half smirk.  “Basically, angels are destined to find the one soul that is complimentary to theirs.  They bond and mate and then they belong to each other.  Forever.  They protect each other, willing to do anything for their other half.  Usually it’s with another angel, but there have been documented pairings of angels and humans.  Not a lot.  Maybe a handful since Dad first turned on the lights around here.”

Sam was stunned.  “That seems improbable that both Dean and I…”

“You Winchesters are important humans, Sam,” Gabriel said.  “Major vessels for two of the big dogs.  And you’ve saved the world, I’m not sure how many times.  Plus, when Chuck was parading around as a prophet—all those ridiculous ‘Supernatural’ books?”  Sam nodded, grimacing.  “Those are referred to as ‘The Winchester Gospels’ on Angel Radio.  You two are a big deal, kiddo.”  He looked into Sam’s face.  “It’s not exactly surprising that you and your brother are meant to be angel mates.  Not really.”

Sam was quiet for a while.  Gabriel played with his fingers, watching him, his grip on Sam’s hand almost uncomfortably tight, as though he was afraid that Sam was going to bolt.  “Is there any way to test your theory?” Sam finally spoke.

Gabe’s eyes lit up, almost glowing from within for a split second.  “You sure about this, kiddo?  Cause if I get a taste of you, then I’m not going to let you go.  Ever.”

Sam knew that even without a truth curse, that Gabe meant every word.  If he was the archangel’s True Mate, then Gabriel would be by his side forever.  It was a heavy thought, but not one that Sam even needed to consider.  It was absolutely what he wanted.  What he had wanted for years.  He would never have to spend his nights wondering where the angel was, or what he was doing.  And best of all, he would never have to watch Gabriel die again.  Three times was by far enough for Sam Winchester. 

He hadn’t even seen the fight with Lucifer, but he had spent so much time assuming that Gabriel was dead, picturing his vessel lying on the ground with charred wings surrounding him.  It was sick, and Sam never wanted to think of it again.  If he bonded with Gabe, he never would.  He knew Gabriel would do everything in his power to make sure they were always safe, which hopefully meant cutting down on his reckless and self-sacrificial ways.

“I’m going to hold you to that promise,” he said.  “I’m sure.  I need this,” Sam glanced up.  “I need _you_.  I _want_ you.”

Gabriel didn’t need any more encouragement.  He placed his strong, angelic hands on Sam’s face and pulled the hunter in.  Their lips met fully.  It wasn’t soft or tender; it was bruising and possessive.  Sam responded without a thought, opening his mouth and running his tongue along Gabriel’s lips.

The lights in the room being to flicker rapidly and the bed beneath them shook as though there was an earthquake.  It startled Sam enough that he pulled back slightly.  Gabe’s eyes snapped open and they were tinged with an inner blue light.  On the wall behind the angel, Sam could see the shadow of an expanse of six huge, fully-feathered wings.  “Holy shit!”

“What?” Gabriel looked nervous.  He glanced behind him to where Sam’s eyes were fixed.  “You can see them?”

“You have six wings,” Sam said dumbly.  “Six.  That seems like overkill.”

“I’m not compensating, if that’s what you’re getting at,” Gabe huffed.  “You can really see them?”

“Yeah,” Sam was mesmerized.  “They’re amazing!”

“Of course they are!  I’m an archangel,” Gabriel pointed out, slightly pouting.  “We’re always the prettiest.”  The angel’s hands were still stroking Sam’s cheeks tenderly.  “I guess that’s it then.”

“What?” Sam tore his eyes away from the manifestation of plumage and looked at Gabriel.

“Between humans and angels, only a True Mate can see their angel’s wings without burning to death.”

“So you just pulled them out, not knowing if you were going to incinerate me?” Sam shouted.

“I had a hunch,” Gabriel smiled cockily.  “I was right too.”

“You’re an ass.”

“Oh, come on, you love me,” Gabriel laughed.

They both froze at the word.  A bubble of pleasure rose in Sam’s body.  Gabe was right.  He _did_ love him.  He had since that first day at Crawford Hall.  That was why he had been so upset each time he watched some sort of incarnation of Gabriel die.  It was why he had been so furious when he realized who was behind the time loop, killing Dean over and over.  This was why, when he thought Lucifer had finally dispatched Gabe, that he’d drowned his sorrows for months while on the road.  He was in love with a freaking archangel.  “Yeah, I do.”

“You’re not just saying that because of the maracas, are you, kiddo?”

Sam shook his head.  “No.”  He wasn’t sure how to continue.  “I’ve been a mess without you.  Truly.  When Ketch dragged you here, and you were such a mess, I couldn’t take it.  You wouldn’t talk to any of us and it pissed me off.  I realized that I’d been pushing down what I really felt all this time.  I thought you were dead, and it broke something inside of me.  But when I saw you, as fucked up as you were, I felt whole again.”

Gabriel was smiling at him.  And not in his usual, annoying way where it looked like he knew all of your secrets.  This was sincere and charged.  Another wave of comfort washed over Sam and he fell against Gabe’s chest, gripping the angel’s shirt in his fists.  “I love you too, kiddo.”

It was what Sam had been waiting to hear his entire life.  Those four words, all strung together and in a sincere tone, from _this_ man.  Sam reacted.  His hands fisted into Gabe’s silky hair, pulling him close.  He crashed them together, pushing his weight down on top of the archangel and pinning Gabriel under him.  He could feel Gabe’s hardness pressing into his thigh and his own erection rocketed at the sensation.  Gabriel’s hands were feathering along his sides, but Sam felt something lightly brush his back as well.  He broke the kiss and looked over his shoulder.  There was a mass of bright, shimmering golden feathers running down his spine.  When he looked back down at Gabriel the archangel was now shirtless as well, wings spread out beneath him, curling around them both.  Sam wasn’t quite sure how they even fit into his small bedroom.

Gabriel’s hands were suddenly off of him, gesturing at the archangel’s bare chest.  “Too soon?” Gabe’s nose scrunched.  “I mean, you were kind of giving off a vibe.”

“No, it’s good.  Really good.”

“Great,” and Gabe’s hands were touching him again.  “I was hoping that I didn’t read too much into our bond,” the angel gasped, kissing him fervently.

“You can feel me?” Sam asked.

“A little,” Gabriel nodded.  “We haven’t completed a mating ritual, so it’s just sort of a tingle.”

“And…if we mated,” Sam said slowly.  “Then it would be…more?”

“A lot more.”

Sam kissed him deeply again, pressing down.  He had a fleeting thought that his weight might be crushing the smaller man, but Gabe just chuckled in his ear.  “I’m roughly twenty-thousand times bigger than you in actuality,” he murmured.  “You can’t hurt me.  But, if it will make you feel better,” Gabe hooked his legs around Sam’s waist and flipped them, settling in on top of Sam, whose mind was still reeling at how effortless the angel had made the move seem.  “How’s that?” Gabe placed a sweet kiss on the tip of Sam’s nose.

“That’s actually really nice,” Sam said quietly.  His hands grazed Gabriel’s back until he hit a hard nub near the angel’s shoulder blades.  Instinctually, his fingers curled into the cluster of thick feathers there, making Gabriel jerk into him.

“You’re killing me, kiddo,” Gabe gasped.

Sam stopped moving his fingers, but remained gripping the feathers of Gabe’s wings.  “Sorry?”

“Don’t ever apologize for touching my wings,” Gabe’s voice was husky.  “Most angels don’t appreciate it.  We reserve that kind of intimacy only for one.”  The archangel kissed him deeply.  “And you’re the only one I want touching my wings.”

Sam’s hands began to move again, gently stroking the golden appendages, forcing small sounds from the angel’s mouth.  “You really like that, don’t you?”

“It’s more sensual for me than anything you could possibly comprehend,” Gabriel’s tone was serious again.  “No one has had the pleasure of touching my wings in this capacity before.”

“Good,” Sam heard himself growl.  He didn’t want anyone to see Gabriel like this—only him.  A flash of pure jealousy passed between them and Gabriel actually laughed.  Sam felt his temper rise for a brief moment until a soothing wave of Gabe’s emotions settled over them, filling all of the dark spaces in Sam’s being.

“Nice to know you’re the possessive type,” Gabe chuckled.

“What?  Like you aren’t?”

Sam felt crushed by another wave of power.  One that wrapped his entire being up tightly, as though locking him away from the world.  “I don’t share,” Gabriel’s jaw was clenched.  “You’re mine, Sam Winchester.”

It was harsh and controlling, and just radiating with control—and Sam loved it!  He felt unstoppable, knowing that he had the capacity to bring a being so powerful to it’s knees.  He knew that Gabriel would do anything to keep him; do anything _for_ him.  Sam was humbled.  Simultaneously, he was wracked with impatience.  “Are you going to just watch me,” he bucked up into Gabriel’s hip.  “Or are you going to mate me?”

Gabe’s eyes slid closed for a fraction of a second.  “It’s a big thing, kiddo,” he managed.  “I don’t want you to make a decision like this in the heat of the moment.”

Sam bristled, at both the phrase that reminded him of worse times, and at the implication that he wasn’t prepared to handle something like this.  “If you’re implying that—“

He was cut off by Gabriel holding up his hand.  “It would put a big target on your back,” the archangel said seriously.  “A hell of a big target.  Not just random monsters and angels and demons coming after you because you’re a Winchester.  I’m talking about things hunting you down to get to me, through you.”

Sam realized that Gabriel was trying to protect him, even without a complete bond and something melted in his heart.  Even if they never went through with a mating, there would always be something pulling them together like magnets.  It was too late, and he told Gabriel as much.

“I know,” the angel looked slightly pissed, yet also defeated.  “I’ve already marked you with my grace if you can see my wings and feel me.  I just don’t want to fire off the flare gun to anyone if you aren’t abso-fucking-lutely sure.”

“So mating me would leave some sort of mark that would be like a beacon to anyone who wanted to mess with you?” Sam asked.  Gabe nodded slowly.  “Can anyone see it?”

“Other angels, and more powerful demons and creatures, sure,” Gabriel told him.

“And you don’t think a big ‘Property of an Archangel’ sign on my forehead will deter them?” Sam raised his brow.

“If they’re smart, it would,” Gabriel said.  “But when are we ever that lucky?”

“I’ll take my chances.”

Gabriel watched him for a beat, his eyes searching Sam’s.  “I was hoping you’d say that,” Gabe sighed with relief.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Sam moved under him, silently begging.

“I honestly don’t know now,” Gabriel smirked down at him.  He snapped his fingers and both of their clothes disappear in a flash.  “I know you didn’t have much to deal with, but that saved us a few seconds.”

“Showoff.”  Even as he commented, Sam looked down between them and took in all of Gabriel’s body.  His eyes stopped scanning and were glued to the impressive girth between the angel’s legs.

“I know,” Gabriel winked.  “Good things come in small packages.  I might have made a tiny upgrade when I took this body though,” he laughed.

“Nothing tiny about it,” Sam breathed.

At that Gabriel barked out a laugh and began to suck along Sam’s neck.  He left small, dark marks along Sam’s skin, uncaring as to how it would look in the morning.  “Sam,” he murmured, sucking on the hunter’s earlobe.  “You’re too perfect.”

Sam disagreed.  He was human, and therefore incredibly flawed.  His mind flashed with images from his past: demon blood, and Ruby; saying ‘yes’ to Lucifer, and he shuddered.  “Hey, stay with me, kiddo,” Gabe’s voice brought him back.

Gabriel had always called him ridiculous names.  Kiddo, Bucko, Samsquatch, always teasing.  But this time, it was laced with fondness and heat rushed through Sam.  He felt so incredibly cared for in that moment.  It was as if Gabe was projecting all of the love and affection that he could onto Sam.  “Focus on me, Sam.”

And he did.  Gabriel’s hands trailed down his chest, toying with his nipples, rolling them between his fingers.  Sam arched off of the bed and Gabe smirked at him.  The angel lowered his head and pulled the pink nub between his lips, sucking forcefully.  Sam cried out and pressed himself further against his lover.  “More,” he pleaded.

Gabriel’s hand was lowering, reaching around him and tugging lightly at Sam’s cock which was almost too much.  “I always thought that if this ever happened, I’d take my time with you,” Gabriel told him.  “But that isn’t going to happen.”

Good.  Sam didn’t want teasing and foreplay right now.  They’d been doing that for years.  He wanted hot and fast and incredibly needy, which was exactly how he felt as he unraveled in the angel’s touch.  He heard Gabe snap his fingers and forced himself to open his eyes.  Gabriel’s hand was between his legs, prodding at his tight hole.  The angel’s fingers were slick with lube, but Sam didn’t see a bottle of the stuff anywhere.  Of course—he magicked it.  Showoff.  “I could have just _made_ you ready for me,” Gabe was saying.  “But that wouldn’t be any fun.  I said I wasn’t taking this slow, but I _am_ going to enjoy myself.”

He tensed slightly as Gabriel’s finger slid into him, the pressure building so acutely.  He willed himself to relax into the touch, and that was when Gabriel hit that perfect spot inside of him.  Sam gasped loudly and the lights in the room flickered again.  He knew that his angel was loving this as much as he was.

“I’ve waited so long for you, Sam.”  Another finger slid inside of him.  He pushed his hips down, asking for more, which made Gabriel chuckle and oblige.  It wasn’t long before he’d worked Sam open, ready and pliant in his hands.

As he melted into the mattress, he felt Gabriel move between his open legs, one hand caressing the skin of his thigh.  There was a push to his entrance and he nodded fiercely, silently consenting.  Without a word, Gabriel pressed into him.  He felt split, and spread, and utterly helpless beneath the powerful angel.  One long, smooth stroke and Gabriel was fully seated, hovering above him, watching Sam’s face.

Sam reached up and pressed his palm to Gabriel’s cheek, feeling the beginning of scruff there.  It felt so right, so complete, to be filled with his angel.  “How you doing, kiddo?”  He looked worried, and even his wings were drooping just a little with concern.

“Amazing,” was all Sam could say.

At that, Gabriel beamed at him, his wings perking up, fanning out behind the angel’s back, glittering in the dim light of the room.  He felt Gabe shift, pulling out of him, just a little.  Sam grasped at his angel, burying his hands into Gabriel’s wings and trying to pull him back.  Gabe chuckled a little at his desperation and slammed back into Sam’s body.

Sam grunted, his neck tilting back, his head pushing into the pillow, as Gabe slammed him into the mattress.  The lightbulb next to Sam’s bed flickered once and then shattered into a thousand sparkling pieces.  The lamp on his desk followed a moment later.

He was crying out, writhing beneath the archangel, chanting Gabriel’s name over and over like a prayer.  The headboard above them shook and a large, deep crack ran along it, splitting the wood.  The bed was vibrating underneath them, and Sam was begging for more.  Gabriel wasn’t holding back at all and the sounds escaping the archangel’s lips were the most erotic thing that Sam had ever heard.  He could feel the pressure building inside of him as crests of Gabe’s power rushed around them, making the air crackle.

When Gabe reached down and gripped his leaking cock, Sam couldn’t take it any longer.  A few quick strokes and he was spilling into the angel’s hand, trembling.  Gabriel pumped into him a few more times before he too, froze above Sam, a wordless scream on his lips.  Sam could feel the warmth spread inside of him and he grabbed at Gabriel’s body frantically.  Gabe’s wings were fully spread behind him, the feathers shaking with exertion.  Sam looked at his Mate’s face as they came, almost blinded by the bright light shooting from Gabriel’s eyes.

In moments, the light was gone, and the room was bathed in complete darkness.  As Sam’s eyes adjusted, he could make out the smirk on Gabriel’s face as the archangel slid out of him.  Gabriel collapsed next to him on the bed, wrapping one of his arms around Sam’s waist.

They were both breathing heavily, hearts pounding in unison.  Sam carded his fingers through Gabe’s hair listlessly.  “Is it always like that?”

“I guess,” Gabriel said, looking up at him.  “I’ve never had a Mate before.  Sharing grace like that can be…intimate.  It might not be so _explosive_ after a while, but I’m sure it will be intense every time.”

“Wow,” Sam sighed.  “I don’t know if I can do that too much.  You might kill me,” he joked.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Gabe kissed him lightly.

“You’re ruined me for anyone else,” Sam told him, sated.

“Fucking good,” Gabriel snapped.  “You’ll never be with anyone but me, ever again.”  The angel practically growled at him.  It was kind of a turn-on, despite the fact that Sam was pretty certain that he couldn’t move at the moment, even if his life depended on it.

“So, should I be worried now?” Sam rolled onto his side and looked at his Mate.  “I mean, what if something happens to one of us?”

Gabriel tried to shrug it off, but their bond was so strong now that he could tell Sam needed reassurance.  “If something happens to _you_ , I’d die,” he spoke quietly.  “With angel mates, they need each other to survive.  I’m not sure about the human element.  If I died though, you’d probably be fine.  _Maybe_.  You might wither away to nothing though, so that’s something to look forward to.”

“Jesus,” Sam breathed.  This was pretty dark.  He didn’t want to talk about it anymore.  Gabriel could tell, and quietly wrapped his wings around the both of them, surrounding Sam with comforting energy.

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo,” he said, kissing Sam’s cheek.

Something in the archangel’s tone was soothing and so powerful that Sam actually stopped fretting.  He relaxed into Gabriel’s arms, feeling whole and safe and incredibly complete.

 

* * *

                     

The next morning, in the Bunker’s kitchen, Sam sat at the table drinking coffee.  Gabriel was next to him eating a large cake that he had produced from thin air.  Their hands were clasped together under the table.  When they had emerged from Sam’s room that morning, none of the lights in the Bunker were working.  Sam had found a box of spare bulbs in the garage and replaced a few of them so that they would have enough light to eat by.

He smiled as Gabe kissed him suddenly, tasting like chocolate frosting.  There was a noise in the hall, and they broke apart quickly.  Gabriel busied himself with his cake but didn’t release Sam’s hand.

Dean stumbled in, a hitch in his gait and poured himself some coffee before gingerly sitting down in the open seat across from them.  A few moments later, Cas entered, his usual clothing gone and a large beat-up flannel shirt of Dean’s wrapped around his shoulders.  He sank into the chair next to Dean, occasionally glancing at the other hunter.

“That was a weird night,” Dean finally spoke.

“You’re telling me,” Sam agreed, sliding a glance to Gabriel.  “Did you and Cas have, I don’t know…any odd conversations last night?”

Dean and Castiel pointedly ignored him, avoiding the other’s gaze.  Sam dropped his head and chuckled.  “Congratulations, guys.” He felt Gabe’s fingers tighten around his own.

When he looked back up, Castiel was eyeing them both suspiciously.  “Sam,” the angel said gravely.  “You’ve been marked.”

“What?” Dean’s head snapped up and he glared at Sam.

“Sam has been marked as the True Mate of an Archangel,” Cas said simply, not realizing that he was dropping a bomb on the older Winchester.

“An Archangel?” He pointed at Gabriel, accusingly.  “ _That_ Archangel?”  Dean looked hard at Sam’s face.  “Wait?  You got Angel Married?  To Gabriel?” Dean exclaimed.

“Dean,” Cas placed a soothing hand on Dean’s wrist.  “As I explained last night when _we_ mated—“

“Shut up, Cas!” Dean shouted in embarrassment.  “Remember when we talked about privacy?”  He turned to Sam.  “Really, Sammy?  Him?”

Gabriel took a large bite of his cake and held up his and Sam’s entwined hands.  “I guess we’re brothers-in-law now.”

Dean sputtered for a while, trying to regain his composure while Castiel spouted unhelpful commentary of their new situation.  Sam watched his brother eye Gabriel grumpily.  His angel was completely ignoring Dean and happily polishing off his dessert.  “At least this means you’ll be helping us now, right?” Dean finally said.

Gabriel shrugged and snapped his fingers, sending the empty cake plate to who-knew-where.  “You can’t get rid of me that easily now.”  He smiled at Dean. “I’ll be here, watching out for my Mate and, yes, helping you idiots get to this ‘alternate world.’”

“Well, that’s something, I guess,” Dean grumbled.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, Dean-o,” Gabe laughed at him.  He turned and fixed Sam with an intense look.  “If I have anything to say about it, Sam and I are going to be together for a very long time.”  He closed the space between them, pressing a soft kiss to Sam’s lips.  “Love you, kiddo.”


End file.
